


The Sisterhood

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: Marnie and the Shark [12]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Family, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-14
Updated: 2016-05-14
Packaged: 2018-06-08 10:32:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6851131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I love you so much, and I want you to go home."</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Sisterhood

**Author's Note:**

> Margaret's sister makes a few unsavory comments about Arabs that are not my personal opinion. I have nothing against any race, religion, or creed.

"OK, who?"

Bruno made kissy noises at Teddy while changing her diaper. Margaret put away clothes that she washed that afternoon.

"My sisters, all three of them. Before you ask, they are not staying here."

"Good." He put the baby back in her crib, turning on the colorful, musical mobile above her head. "Well, I don't mind. I know you love spending time with your family. When?"

"Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. Do you think you can handle the kids?"

"Of course not. I will probably have a nervous breakdown but I will be sure to do it during nap time as not to scare them witless."

He walked over to her and Margaret slapped his arm as he kissed her cheek.

"You will be fine. Brian is your best friend and Teddy is a quiet baby. I taped her feeding schedule to the refrigerator."

"I have a Master's degree from both Tulane and Yale University…I know my daughter's feeding schedule."

"OK. Should I tape a reminder to the bathroom mirror about the reminder on the fridge?"

"Oh, you are in trouble now."

"Bruno, no! You'll wake the kids."

"Then I guess you better not fight me."

He threw her over his shoulder as if she weighed no more than Brian did. Down the hall, into the bedroom, where they both fell down on the bed. Margaret laughed as he unbuttoned her blouse.

"2 more weeks." She murmured.

His lips felt so good on her skin.

"I know baby. Doesn't mean I can't kiss you."

"No." she shook her head.

Running her fingers through his hair and sighing as each button came undone; Margaret relaxed as Bruno's kisses moved lower. The phone rang and they wanted to ignore it. But Margaret never ignored her phone; she reached for it.

"Hello."

Bruno opened the shirt completely, pressing his lips to her stomach.

"Hey Maggie, its Deedee."

"You better not be calling me to cancel. Ooh!" she swatted Bruno away but he ignored her.

"What are you doing?" her older sister asked.

Diana had just turned 45 this summer. Margaret and her twin Ann were 42 and on New Year's Eve Isabel, the baby of the family, would be 40.

"Nothing honey. What's up?"

"I won't be there until Saturday morning. I switched shifts with one of the RNs so she could see her son's Christmas play. It was the right thing to do."

"I agree. OK, I will see you Saturday. I have to go."

"You are not alone are you? Oh my God, tell me he is not there."

"He is not there." Margaret repeated. "I love you Deedee, bye."

Margaret hung up the phone, yanking Bruno up for a passionate kiss.

"A trouble maker that is what you are. I have to finish things up…why don't you take a cold shower?"

"Why don't you ignore your things? I'm willing to lay money on you enjoying being fondled much more."

"It's a sucker's bet." Margaret replied. "That is why I need to get up."

"Magic word?" Bruno asked.

"Couch."

Smiling, Bruno let her up. She leaned to kiss him.

"Love you."

"Me too baby."

***

"I will pick Brian up at school, stop at the grocery store, and then get the Christmas tree." Bruno closed his laptop.

"Convenient for you not to be here when my sister arrives." Margaret said.

"I am never coming back either. Brian and I can at least survive two states with the grocery I get at Whole Foods. From there we can start our new life."

She smirked and he smiled.

"They are not coming here to see me, particularly Diana. They want to see you and eat my grandmother's five-cheese lasagna. Should I pick up diapers?"

Bruno checked his pocket for his car keys.

"We have enough to get us to Teddy using the toilet. Are you alright?"

"What? I'm fine."

"No."

"Marnie…"

"You're chomping at the bit. Bruno, you wanted to do this month, not me."

"Are you kicking me out?"

"Of course not. However, and I cannot believe I am going to say this, just because we love each other does not mean we are ready to jump into domestic bliss with both feet. Its not fun if you are crawling out of your skin."

"I don't want to be late picking up Brian."

"Right, OK. C'mere."

She pulled him to her by the collar and kissed him.

"Drive safely."

"I will."

Bruno ran his hand down her arm and walked out. Something was definitely off and Margaret could not put her finger on it. What she did not want was a meltdown while her sisters were in town. Diana hated him and though Margaret always lied about it, Bruno knew her true feelings. The man was an expert on reading between the lines. Isabel, on the other hand, looked at him like family. The two of them actually spent time together and he and her husband Tim got along well. He was the only person in the family who wanted to talk about banking bills, political strategy and the latest happenings on C-Span.

Walking into the kitchen Margaret poured herself a glass of soda and thought of lighting a cigarette. She hardly had any since she quit in her late twenties. As a teenager, she thought they were poison. Alone in DC, after college with a stressful job, they were a release. She had been smoking for seven years when she just quit cold turkey. It drove Leo bananas, but after all Margaret had to deal with, he suffered silently.

Bruno still smoked almost a pack a day and she encouraged him to quit every time she got the chance. He said he wanted the patch for Christmas; he was ready to give it up. Lately Margaret took to pilfering a few here and there from his packs…he had not called her on it yet. He knew though; Bruno knew everything.

The doorbell rang and Margaret rushed to let her sister in. They saw each other about two weeks ago but hugged as if they had not. The Hooper girls had always been close. In Ogdensburg, friends referred to them as the March sisters, just like in Little Women.

"Hey baby sis."

"Hey, I know I am ridiculously early. I am always the first to arrive."

"Well, Ann is not coming in until between six and seven. Deedee won't be here until tomorrow morning. She picked up an extra shift at the hospital for a friend."

"Where are the kids?" Isabel asked as she took off her coat. "Where is Bruno? He is still here right?"

"He went to get Brian from school and Teddy is taking a nap. I think he is choking on domestic bliss."

"Trouble in paradise?"

There was no trouble at all for Bruno and Margaret as a couple. Well, couple was a stretch. They knew they loved each other, but after being apart for so long, it was hard to be together.

"How is Jamie?" Margaret changed the subject. "Is she going to be able to play field hockey in the spring?"

"Her doctors think so. The coaches are optimistic too. She has colleges scouting her and she is only a sophomore. Everyone thinks it was best to have the surgery now before the elbow was too banged up and aggravated. She will be able to play well into college. On another note, I think Lucy has a girlfriend."

Jamie and Lucy were 15 and 13 respectively.

"What. Do you think…?"

"Tim and I sat down and talked about it." Isabel said. "Time magazine says gays constitute up to ten percent of the population. There are a lot of Hooper grandkids; it is not statistically impossible."

"You sound calm. She is only 13…how can she even know?"

"I knew at 13 I wanted to get married and have kids. The world is so scary right now. Terrorists, pedophiles, and conservative nut jobs. I love my kid, you know?"

Margaret nodded.

"Eat a sandwich with me. I hate to eat alone."

***

"I want to answer the door!"

Brian came bounding into the living room like a herd of buffalo.

"Go on, open it."

Bruno stood behind his son as Brian pulled it open. He smiled at his aunt.

"Anniepoo!" he exclaimed.

"Rusty!"

She opened the screen door, scooping the four year old into a hug. Isabel and Margaret joined in and the three women hugged with Brian squeezed between. Bruno stood on the fringes looking slightly uncomfortable.

"Izzy, you look fabulous."

"So do you. Thin, cosmopolitan and gorgeous. Some things never change."

"Thank you. Maggie, did you lose all the baby weight already?"

Margaret could not stop hugging her twin; she had not seen her in over a year.

"Its still there. The outfit is slimming. You do look good."

"London agrees with me." Ann replied as she put Brian on the floor and came to stand in front of Bruno.

"Is this the one I have heard so much about? Mr. Bruno Gianelli I presume."

"Hello."

She threw her arms around him and kissed his mouth. He stood frozen is his spot as Margaret and Isabel laughed.

"That's the Ann greeting." Margaret said.

He stepped away and took a good look at her. She looked like the supermodel version of Margaret. They were fraternal, but they looked damn near exactly alike. Except Ann's dark red hair was cut in some chic Soho style and her outfit exuded fashionista.

"I'm starving." Ann said, breaking his train of thought. "Let's go to the most expensive restaurant in town and make a night of it. But first the ladies room."

"Down the hall." Bruno pointed.

"I remember thanks."

"I'm going to change. I do not want to look like a soccer mom on my night out."

Isabel went up the stairs and Margaret smiled at Bruno. He put his arms around her.

"You look strange."

"Your sister is boisterous." He replied.

"Isn't she fabulous? I thought you two would like each other."

"Yeah. Go out tonight and have a great time."

"OK." Margaret kissed him.

Ann came out of the bathroom, wrapping her arms around Margaret and squeezing.

"God, it is so good to see you. We have to get together more. I miss the other half of my soul all the way around the world. We have so much to talk about. Are you coming tonight Bruno?"

"No. This is a girl's night. I'm staying with the kids."

"Really? You don't look like the type." Ann said.

"Appearances can certainly deceive Ann."

"Apparently."

"By the way Ann, Bruno loves your pictures."

"Do you? I'm actually going to be in Jerusalem and Alexandria in February taking some for American Photographer."

"Can you really make a decent living from being a freelance photojournalist?" he asked.

"Hell no. But I love the work and you cannot imagine some of the crazy people I have met over the years."

"I'm a political strategist; I have some idea."

Isabel was back and the women were off. Bruno and Brian decided to have a boys night and they sat with hours of cartoons and snacks. Whenever he was with his son, Bruno was always at ease. It was barely going to be 48 hours…he thought he could survive the visit.

***

_Love me like a bomb  
Baby, come and get it on  
Living like a lover with a rent a phone  
Looking like a tramp  
Like a video vamp  
Demolition woman, can I be your man  
Be your man_

Margaret danced into the house at 2:30am, singing Def Leppard. Bruno looked up from his laptop, glasses resting on the bridge of his nose.

"I guess there is no need to ask if you had a good time." He said.

"Nope."

She threw her coat over the chair and herself on his lap. Bruno settled his arms around her waist.

"Since we were all feeling sexy tonight we went for the cheap restaurant instead…and lots of martinis. We played Sex in the City."

"I bet you were Miranda."

"How did you know? You watch that show?"

"What man in his right mind would not want to watch a show set in the best city in the world and starring four beautiful, sexually free women? Isabel was Charlotte right. And Ann Samantha."

"Yep. It was a blast. We went to this bar and they let you dance on the bar. We didn't but we got to dance to really old school hip-hop and new wave songs. So many men wanted to buy us drinks. You know what Bruno?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you so much, and I want you to go home."

"What do you mean?"

"You're not happy and neither am I."

"Margaret, I don't think we should have this conversation while one do us is at least twice the legal limit." He said.

"Maybe even three times." She replied.

"Exactly. Why don't we just go upstairs and call it a night?"

"OK." She dashed off the couch, nearly stumbling over the coffee table.

Bruno caught her, holding in his laugh.

"New legs?" he asked.

"Borrowed. Take me to bed."

"You want me to carry you?"

"You're so romantic. No, I'm OK."

Bruno followed her upstairs, watching her undress. He hated that they could not make love; he missed being close to her. He really hated when Margaret climbed between the sheets wearing only satin panties. Sighing, he joined her, and she curled her body around his.

"Wanna make out?" she whispered.

"Yes, but I think you should sleep." He kissed her forehead. "Goodnight Marnie."

"Goodnight."

She fell asleep thinking about him not saying I love you. She could not remember the last time he had. Then she didn't know if it was because of the martinis or if things had changed. Margaret gave up and succumbed to sleep.

***

"Tell me what's the deal with Bruno?" Ann asked as she and her sisters walked around the Arlington mall.

Diana groaned. She arrived earlier that morning only to tell her sisters that she had to leave earlier than the agreed upon six o'clock. It was the Christmas season, she explained, there were things to be done.

"He is the jerk who got her pregnant, twice, and shows up when he feels like it." she said.

"That is not who he is Deedee." Margaret replied. "I don't think she was asking you anyway. Bruno and I are complicated."

"Is he a good father?" Ann asked.

"Yes. The kids mean everything to him."

"You don't mind if I poke and prod him, do you?"

"No, be my guest. I don't know when he is coming back…he had a lot of things to do this afternoon and evening."

"I like Bruno." Isabel said. "He's a good guy, he just needs to…"

"Grow up." Diana finished. "He's like 50 something Maggie. Do you think he is ever going to change?"

"I don't want him to change. I think that is why we are having problems now. I have to make him understand that commitment does not mean change. He is the man I fell in love with."

"What does commitment mean?" Ann asked.

She and her sister shared a womb for nine months and though they hardly saw each other enough, Ann could easily say that Margaret was her oldest and best friend. But they had little to nothing in common. She often wondered what Margaret thought about beyond books, National Geographic and making Leo McGarry happy. For years, she thought her sister might be secretly sleeping with McGarry but then came to the realization that Margaret was too straitlaced for that. The whole Bruno situation confused Ann…she didn't know that Margaret had something like this in her.

"Commitment means love, monogamy, and friendship. I like him, personality wise, just the way he is."

The women walked into a sporting goods store.

"Smug, over-confident, and conceited?" Diana asked.

"Yep, that is my man. And you better at least be cordial when you see him."

Diana rolled her eyes but nodded. She thought Bruno was wrong for her sister, but Margaret never listened to her. She should have married Dan Sterling and started a family with him instead of letting Bruno get her pregnant with another one-night stand. She was 42 years old now, with two small children; she had to think beyond what pleasured her physically and look at the real future.

"Look, I know we can find some other conversation than my dysfunctional love life." Margaret said. "Its new. We'll get it right."

"Can I just ask, what if you don't?" Isabel asked.

"We will. People who love each other do. I have waited for this and I am going to fight for it tooth and nail. Now please guys."

"What the hell are we doing in a sporting goods store?" Ann asked. "Is there a Victoria's Secret around here?"

"Do you even need anymore lingerie?" Diana asked.

"I prefer skin and the right perfume. Who needs the bangles when all your lover will do is throw it on the floor. I wear pretty panties for my own benefit."

"Tim likes when I wear special things. I mean, he throws it on the floor, but only after the compliments."

"Your husband is just 40," Diana said. "His blood is still pumping."

"Bruno is way past 40 and his blood is still pumping. This six-week waiting period is killing us."

***

"Did daddy come back at all today?" Margaret asked Brian as she tucked him in.

"For a little while. Then he went back out. He is going to stay forever now, right mommy?"

"That I don't know sweetie. You know that his job keeps him busy. But he loves you and Teddy and no matter where he is he still will. Nothing will keep him away for too long."

"He loves you too right?"

Brian clutched Munky, the gorilla that Bruno bought him for his second birthday. Margaret remembered the insanity of Brian losing him on the train back from Ogdensburg. He was so inconsolable; his father had to fly in from New York to be with him. Margaret silently thanked God when Amtrak called and said they located the primate.

"Yes, he loves me. Our relationship is a bit different though; I wish I could explain it better for you."

He nodded, wishing she could too. He knew his parents loved him but he wanted them to be together. Mommy was so much happier when daddy was there then when he was gone.

"Good night mommy."

Margaret kissed him.

"Goodnight."

Downstairs in the kitchen Isabel put the lasagna in the oven as Diana poured red wine. Margaret grabbed the baby monitor, took a cigarette from Ann's purse, and pulled out a CD.

"Oh my God, Fiona! You have to put this in. I am going to smoke this cigarette and I don't want any comments from the Peanut Gallery." She said.

The music to You're Sexing Me started and her sisters looked at her with sympathetic eyes.

"You are allowed to be stressed Maggie." Isabel said. "It is the holidays and you have a new baby. Teddy is on a funny schedule."

"Two and five thirty, nearly like clockwork. Sometimes Bruno wants to get up for her but honestly I prefer to do it myself."

"Why?" Diana asked. "He has to take some of the responsibility too."

"Right. Like you let Mike near Kelly and the boys when they were that tiny. You watched him like the Gestapo."

"I remember." Isabel laughed.

"Hey, he was a football player…his hands are huge. I thought he might crush them by mistake."

"Bruno has big hands too. Size 13 ring finger."

"Damn." Ann fanned herself. "You know what they say about a man with big hands."

"Get your mind out of the gutter." Diana said.

"Why?"

They all laughed. Ann sat up on the counter, taking the cigarette from Margaret.

"OK girls, I have news."

"I knew it." Margaret took the cigarette back. "I felt it in the pit of my stomach. What is going on?"

"I may be getting engaged over the holidays."

"Oh my God!"

They all jumped up to hug her.

"Is it Trevor?" Diana asked.

"Hell no."

"What's his name from Australia?" Isabel asked.

"No. He is a friend of mine; we've been friends for almost a decade. He was married, you know, so it never went beyond friendly flirting. He's been divorced almost three years and some friends set us up again."

"Who is he?" Diana asked.

"His name is Hassan; he is a writer for Time and also teaches history at the University of London. I am going to settle there."

"Settle." Margaret said. "Bite your tongue."

"I know. He has a 7 year old, Nadia. I absolutely adore her and the idea of being a mother. He has full custody and her mother lives in Amman."

"Wait, that guy." Margaret said. "This is the guy you have been in love with since the night you met."

Ann could not help but smile as she sipped her wine.

"That's him. He is so wonderful and I cannot wait for you guys to meet him."

"He's from Jordan?" Diana asked. "An Arab?"

"Yeah."

"Oh my God, what if he is a terrorist?"

"Did you really just say that?" Isabel asked. "Deedee, you have got to leave the suburbs sometimes."

Margaret smirked and Ann ignored her.

"Just don't convert and never move to the Middle East with him. Have you ever seen Not Without My Daughter?"

"Stop talking Deed. Hassan is Jordanian, he is not a terrorist, and you are sheltered. Don't worry, I still love you."

Margaret and Isabel laughed. They younger sister pulled the lasagna out of the oven and it smelled heavenly.

"I can't wait to meet him." Margaret said. "Wow, married. I'll be the last one."

She took a deep breath and bit back the urge to burst into tears.

"If you cry I will pinch you." Ann said, reading her as she always had.

"Um, OK."

"Margaret, you have a lot to be thankful for." Diana said. "You have a great job, good family, friends, and two beautiful kids."

"No husband." Margaret muttered.

"I love Hassan. If he did not have a child, we would definitely live in sin. Nadia is impressionable; we need to set an example."

"So do Bruno and I."

With that, Margaret burst into tears. Diana glared at Ann and Margaret's twin muttered an expletive.

"Oh, OK shitty example. Hey Maggie, c'mon. This is hormones or something. Let's eat lasagna, have cake, drink wine, and forget about our worries. How often are the four of us together without the boys or daddy and mom getting on our nerves?"

Margaret smiled. Isabel wiped her tears, Ann kissed her cheek, and Diana squeezed her hand.

"If he hurts you Maggie, the Lehigh University football team can make him disappear." Diana said. "Mike knows people."

They laughed and Margaret felt the tension melt away.

***

"Hey there."

Ann came out on the deck and stood next to Bruno. He moved a bit away from her, trying to put on a smile.

"Hi."

She lit a cigarette and hugged herself against the cold.

"I hate the cold." She said.

"Yeah, it must have been awful growing up in upstate New York." Bruno replied.

"Damn frozen tundra. I usually spend this time of year somewhere tropical where all the drinks come with umbrellas. What about you? You don't look like you stay in one zip code for long."

"I'm not overly fond of DC. I definitely prefer New York City or San Francisco."

"It can get cold there."

"You're the one allergic to cold, not me. I don't mind a seasonal forecast."

Bruno lit a cigarette of his own.

"Do you love my sister Bruno?" Ann asked.

"Yes."

"Are you seeing other women?"

"No."

"Would you?"

"I don't like that you are cross-examining me. Margaret knows where I stand. Ask her if you are not so sure."

"I'm sorry. I want to get along with you Bruno; I think we could really get along. Maybe we should start over."

"No, I have work to do. We are fine Ann. Shouldn't you go back to the party?"

"I need some fresh air. From everything Maggie told me I do like you. Settling down is not easy…especially when you have an explorer's soul. Me, I don't know if I am cut out for PTA meetings and bake sales."

"My children will always come first." Bruno said.

He still could not bring himself to look at her. He did not what her story was or what game she was playing.

"See, that's why I never had kids. Is that obscenely selfish?"

"Probably. But as long as you can sleep at night then I say go for it. I never expected to be a father either…you change when you see your child for the first time."

"My mother is still hassling me, can you believe it? She has 12 grandchildren and she is bugging me to have one. I'm willing to offer Nadia up on a platter"

Bruno smiled.

"Your mom is pretty picky. Nadia, are you going to hire a child?"

"She will be my stepdaughter. My boyfriend is going to propose soon. I can tell; men can be transparent."

"I resent that."

"So what." She laughed, putting out her cigarette. "See you around."

"Bye."

His body started to relax when she went back into the house. That woman made him nervous. Bruno did not like that at all…it had been a long time since a woman made him feel uncomfortable. The last one was her twin sister.

***

Margaret crawled into bed, cocooning under the covers. Bruno grumbled in his sleep and pulled her close.

"Is Teddy alright?"

It was three a.m. and the baby woke up with a wet diaper.

"She's fine. I think she fell for the bribe to sleep until 8."

"I'll get up next time."

He moaned when he felt Margaret grind against his erection.

"Baby, don't…"

"I'm healing from pregnancy Bruno…I don't have the bird flu."

"I just worry, you know, that I won't be able to stop."

"That's not a compliment you know. We both have needs that we want to fulfill."

"Are you mad at me now?" he asked.

Margaret slid her fingers between his, resting on her stomach.

"No. Go back to sleep; I didn't mean to wake you."

"Sleep is actually the last thing on my mind."

They were spooning so Margaret could not see his smile but she felt the warmth of it heat her whole body. His free hand slid into her nightgown, caressing her breast.

"I don't need a pity make out session from the likes of you." Margaret said, sighing when she felt his touch.

"You know that pity has nothing to do with it…I can hardly keep my hands off you as is."

She smiled, turning to look at him. Margaret caressed his face before he lifted the nightgown over her head.

"Make love to me."

"Lets call it love-lite. I love you Marnie."

They kissed and Bruno lost himself in her. The way she smelled, Elizabeth Arden's Red Door and the powder freshness of their daughter. The soft purrs she made when he touched the right spot. Her neck, her stomach, or her thighs.

"Bruno." She murmured into he crook of his neck as they rolled over together.

He pinched her nipple and Margaret arched her back. Reaching down, she yanked his boxers to his ankles.

"You feel fantastic." She said. "If you ever make me wait this long again I will kill you."

Margaret ran her hand down the length of him and Bruno groaned, pushing into her hand.

"Tell me if I hurt you baby; I know its sensitive."

"I'm OK."

Margaret felt the familiar ache and throb she always felt when her desire for Bruno was ready to boil over. He teased her folds with himself, using the strength of Samson not to just thrust into her.

"Oh God! Oh God! Bruno!"

He grinded against her, going back in his mind to sticky teenage fumblings when going all the way was only a figment of his imagination. Margaret reached for his hand, squeezing tight as she took flight.

"Please keep hands inside the ride comes to a complete stop." Bruno grunted as he moved closer and closer to orgasm.

"Don't stop!"

Margaret held him close as she cried out her orgasm. Her back arched up so far Bruno was afraid she would hurt herself. He came too, his body coming to rest beside hers.

"I'm washing these sheets tomorrow." She whispered.

"Good idea." He kissed her cheek. "Go to sleep Marnie."

"Mmm hmm."

***

It was three o'clock when Margaret saw her sisters off. Diana was driving back to Wilkes-Barre, PA. Isabel would drop Ann off at Union Station where she would get the train to New York. She would visit with some friends until Wednesday and then go back to London. Isabel was then driving back to Langley, VA.

"Are they off?" Bruno asked.

"Yeah. What are you making?"

"Pudding."

"Pudding?"

"Is there something wrong with pudding? Its butterscotch."

"No, I like pudding. I've never seen you eat it before."

"Its my comfort food…everyone has one. I made a lot, would you like some?"

"Sure. C'mon, lets go to the living room."

Bruno grabbed two big spoons, the bowls and followed Margaret into the living room. She sat Indian style in the middle of the floor; he followed suit and wondered how he would get up when the conversation was over. When she kicked his lecherous ass out in the cold.

"Talk to me buddy boy." She said.

"Hmm?"

"Something is bothering you. Tell me about it."

Bruno handed Margaret a spoon. She dug into the pudding while he took a deep breath.

"I find your sister very attractive; Ann."

Margaret looked at him and Bruno frowned.

"Please say something."

Margaret laughed.

"Why do you do that woman? I pour out my heart and you laugh."

"Everyone finds Ann attractive. Hell, I find Ann attractive. Is that why you have been walking around looking wounded all weekend?"

"I am not supposed to find my girlfriend's sister attractive!" he exclaimed.

Margaret gently pushed a spoonful of pudding into his mouth.

"You are a male human; you are allowed to find anyone you please attractive. It is what you do with that information that separates you from say, a Kodiak bear. I knew you would do this."

"What? What did I do?"

"Stop being so damn cautious. You never have to tiptoe around me like I'm made of eggshells. I love you Bruno. I love the acerbic wit, the womanizing eye, and the snappy retorts…I love you. All I ask is that you remain faithful. I don't want anything else to change. I want Bruno Gianelli, not Father Murphy."

"Who's Father Murphy?"

"Not the point."

"Yeah."

"You have to go back to Manhattan. You're driving me crazy."

"Yeah, I know. I'm trying my best."

"You're trying to do too much at once. Go to New York for a week or so…come back and see the kids."

"I thought I could do it all. It seems unfair to leave you here with all work."

"I'm fine. You'll be back anyway, right? You're not going to pursue Ann in Manhattan are you?"

"No. But I bet if I did, I'd get her."

Margaret glanced at him and Bruno winked. She smiled.

"See, that is the Bruno I know and adore. Probably since she refers to you as the Italian with the huge cock."

"Could that have anything to do with you telling her that?" Bruno asked.

"Of course." She ate more pudding. "Domestic bliss is not easy Bruno. Why don't we just ease into it, OK?"

"I can do that. I don't want you to ever think I am leaving you because I don't love you."

"Since I am the one kicking you out that is not a concern. By the time you get back I will have really missed you."

"Enough to dress up sexy and do a little dance for me?" he asked.

"You dog."

"Is that a no?"

"It certainly is not."

"You know Brian is with Angela and Theadora is sound asleep. We have at least 90 minutes alone. Not to mention a lot of pudding."

"Bruno!" she exclaimed, laughing. "I just changed the sheets this morning. I may as well have a puppy."

"Hey! That's offensive."

"Blah, blah, blah."

Bruno took the spoon, dropping a dollop of pudding on the end of her nose. Margaret moved her eyes down to look at it.

"Bruno." She warned.

He leaned forward, licking it away. He took the spoon again, this time trailing it down her neck. Margaret sighed.

"Bedroom." She got off the floor. "Bring the bowl."

He had no problem getting off the floor now, and he chased Margaret up to their bedroom. Bruno did not want to leave her but it was for the best right now. They were going to get it all right; he loved her and would keep trying. She called him over to the bed with her finger.

"Shit. I left the baby monitor downstairs." He muttered.

"She's right down the hall, we'll hear her. Get yourself over here."

"Yes ma'am. If you weren't a pudding fan you are definitely getting ready to be."

***


End file.
